Lehr conveyer



Patented Mar. so, 1943 f UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE LEHR. CoNvEYER George W. Batchell, Toledo, Ohio Application April 15, 1941, Serial No. 388,651

3 Claims. (o1. 49-47) maintained in spaced relation to each other byV intermediate, juxtaposed, relatively large bearing rollers having axes substantially in the plane of the axes of the belt-supporting rollers to prevent displacement of the belt-supporting rollers in the direction of the movement of the belt. The belt-supporting rollers may, thus, be freely rotated and produce a substantially plane, flat, or smooth belt surface for heat-treating materials of different kinds.

The invention is of particular advantage when used in the heat-treatment of glassware, and to illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a lehr conveyer as an example of the various structures embodying the invention, which is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a front view of a forward end part and a transverse sectional View of part of the forward end of the lehr. Fig. 2 illustrates a longitudinal section of the forward end part of the lehr. Fig. 3 is a side View of the end part of one of the hollow rollers.

As shown in the drawings, the lehr is provided with walls 1, consisting of heat-insulating and refractory bricks or blocks, of the form commonly used in lehr structures, bonded together and supported by a frame 8. A paneled belt I is supported within the lehr on a plurality of hollow belt-supporting rollers II. Each of the ends of the rollers II is located on a small bearing roller I2. 'I'he axes of the rollers I2 are located substantially in the Vertical planes of the axes of the rollers II and, thus, provide for the free rotation of the rollers` II. The return portion of the belt is located exterior to the lehr and is supported on the rollers I4 that are pivotally supported on the legs of the frame 8 and are spaced so as to prevent the paneled belt III from sagging to an unusual degree. A driving cylinder may be located at the rear end of the lehr, and following cylinders, or idlers, I and I6 are located at the forward end of the lehr, by which the belt, when driven, may be slightly tensioned.

The heating zone of the lehr is heated by suitable burners II that are located on opposite sides of the lehr and project flames into the alternate ends of the rollers I I that are located contiguous to each side and, thus, produce a desired spread of the heat within the zones of the lehr. Fuel gas is directed to the burners, by means of pipes I8. rollers in the direction of their axes and toward the burners, and the products of combustion are withdrawn from each of thel rollers, through the pipes 28 and a pipe 2I that may be connected to a stack or a suitable fan, to remove controlled amounts of the products of combustion of the burners from the rollers. The exhaust pressure or suction may be controlled by a valve 22 located in an air inlet pipe 23. The draft from each roller is modified, according to the quantity of air intake through the pipe 23. The temperatures of the different Zones of the lehr is regulated by varying the fuel supply to the burners I'I and the effective exhaust draft of the pipe 2| by the operation of the valve 22 that produces a desired movement of the heated gases within the parts of the lehr.

'I'he rollers II are retained in their balanced relation on the rollers I2 by relatively large guide rollers 28 located at the sides of each of the ends of the rollers II. The axes of the guide rollers 28 are, preferably, located substantially in the plane of the axes of the belt-supporting rollers II. The rollers I2 and 28 are supported by suitable brackets or trunnions 32, disposed along the botten of the lehr. The guide rollers 28 are lo cated on the trunnions 32 in position to contact the rollers II at their sides,` at points located, preferably, in substantially diametric relation with respect to the axes of the rollers 28, while the axes of the rollers I2 are located in vertical planes extending substantially through the axes of the rollers II and beneath the rollers II. As the belt I0 is drawn over the rollers II, the rollers II normally contact the leading guide rollers 28 and, thus, freely rotate on the rollers I2. The relatively lateral movement is very slight, and the rollers II are maintained, by the guide rollers, in alignment with the burners I'I and the pipes 20, through which fuel gas is introduced into the rollers II and exhaust gases, produced by the burners II, are drawn from the rollers I I.

If desired, the end edges of the belt supporting rollers II may be ared as at 29 and grooved rollers 30 may be also rotatably supported on the trunnions 32 to engage the ared edges of the ends of the rollers II to limit endwise movement of the rollers II. The shafts or spindles of the rollers 30 may be located intermediate the bearing rollers I2 and the guide rollers 28, substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

The forward end of the lehr may be opened and closed to enable loading of the paneled belt with glass' articles, by means of one or more doors Also, a pipe 20 extendsinto each of the.

34, which may be operated by a counter-balancing weight 35 and a suitable pedal 31.

The belt driving roller l5 may be driven by a, suitable motor 38 that is connected by suitable sprocket gear and chain 39.

Details of the lehr and the lehr conveyer are shown and described in application Ser. No. 319,326 filed February 16, 1940, Patent #2,243,145 issued May 27, 1941, of which this application is a continuation in part.

I claim:

1. In an article belt conveyer, a plurality of hollow rollers; a plurality of bearing rollers; each end of the hollow rollers supported on a bearing roller, the axes of the bearing rollers located sub;-`

stantially in the vertical planes of the axes of the hollow rollers; a plurality of guide rollers,

of the axes of the hollow rollers; a plurality of guide rollers, each guide roller located between each pair of ends of the consecutive hollow rollers and the axes of the guide rollers located substantially in the horizontal plane of the axes of the hollow rollers; a belt located on the hollow rollers; means for moving the belt over the hol low rollers; and means for rotatably supporting the bearing and guide rollers.

3. In a belt conveyer for heat treating glass article, a plurality of hollow rollers; burners and fuel exhaust pipes located at the ends of the hollow rollers; a plurality of bearing rollers; each end of the hollow rollers supported on a bearing roller,r the axes of the bearing rollers located substantially in the vertical planes of the axes of the hollow rollers; a plurality of guide rollers,

j each guide roller located between each pair of ends of the consecutive hollow rollers; the said bearing and guide rollers operative to maintain the hollow rollers` in axial alignment with the burners and the fuel exhaust pipes; a belt located on the hollow rollers; means for moving the belts, over the. hollow rollers; and means. for rotatably supportingI the` bearing and guide rollers.

GEORGE. W. BATCHELL. 

